Well I suppose he is dangerous to the Biden Administration in the sense that despite the loss of millions in business by places like Bed Bath and Beyond (now folding like a cheap suit) ridicule and attacks he steadfastly refuses to compromise on his opinion (which I share) that the last election was stolen and continues to produce evidence to support said claim.
That’s the thing about devout Christians, they have an affinity to the truth and they tend to not abandon it even when the emperor siccs their lions on them.
However there are apparently some things that the FBI totally approves of: Headline:
Wait — the Steele Dossier’s discredited source became a paid FBI informant?
There must be an explanation for this plot twist, which appears to have come right out of a James Bond film. Maybe Casino Royale … the David Niven version, not the straightforward Daniel Craig reboot. According to a court filing from John Durham, the FBI turned Steele dossier source Igor Danchenko into a paid informant.
Well after all he was willing to spread falsehood in order to aid and abet the left’s political ambitions. If that’s not worth a paycheck to the FBI I’d like to know what is?
Prediction: In my lifetime we will see FBI agents and bureaucrats who are taking part in and/or enabling the Biden Administrations efforts to intimidate their political foes & the citizens who support said foes will be sitting in a witness chair arguing:
I was only following orders!
Rather disgusting.
While that Russian apparently did OK a lot of Russians are not doing so well in Ukraine as a counter offensive seems to be gaining ground to the point where some are wondering if they should push into Russia proper and risk overextending their lines of supply.
For the record assuming these reports are correct I’d go deep enough to neutralize logistic centers that the Russians would need for any counteroffensive
In theory the Russians have the power to bring and use overwhelming force if they so choose (although it would take time to raise an deploy said force) against Ukraine, what the real question is, do they have the will?
And the bigger question is this. If this results in the fall of Putin, what replaces him?
Yesterday when I got to the warehouse where I work I was surprised to see metal detectors had been installed and that we from now on we will have to pass through them to enter.
I asked the chief of security who was there for the first day of them why, he said the company’s new owners decided on it. He suggested that given what’s been going on in the country it’s better to get ahead of such things.
Well considering that the new owners have stores and such in blue states and cities that have seen first hand what Democrat rule does and that I work in a deep blue state that is likely to replace a moderate Nevertrump republican with a radical democrat and put a DA who will do their best to turn Massachusetts into California in charge I’d say it might be prudent to be prepared for what is going to come.
Finally General Don Bolduc has won the GOP primary in NH to challenge Maggie Hassan for the US senate:
I interviewed General Bolduc at the Carenet dinner in NH last year it’s available both on Youtube
I really think this election in NH will determine if that state can be saved. If Hassan can win in this environment over a vet who has served in combat than any Massachusetts conservative who wants out of the state before it becomes California had better head to Montana, Wyoming or somewhere south, heat and bugs be damned.
Given his outspoken support for President Trump I’m sure he can expect an FBI raid any day now.
A few months ago Van Morrison released his 43rd studio album, What’s It Gonna Take? It’s a stupendous work, and most of its songs focus on the COVID-19 lockdown. Van the Man gives well-deserved musical punch in the nose to lockdown zealots Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Klaus Schwab.
This week, on August 31, Van Morrison turns 77. He’s still touring, in fact, he begins a short American tour the day after his birthday, which includes, hello Peter, two gigs in Massachusetts.
In 2020 was a rare year for Morrison as he didn’t release a studio album, but he did issue three anti-lockdown songs, “Born to Be Free,” “As I Walked Out” and “No More Lockdowns.” Eric Clapton, another foe of lockdowns, recorded a Morrison-penned anti-lockdown song, “Stand And Deliver.” Morrison has been the most prominent artist who has stood up to opposition to the 2020-2021 shutdown of musical venues.
Of course Morrison is rich, but most musicians aren’t. Many are just getting by.
My DTG review of “What’s It Gonna Take?”is here. And yes, sometimes I am wrong. I predicted the mainstream media, as it did with the collection’s predecessor, the double album Latest Record Project: Volume 1, would savage it. On the contrary, because the hostile reviews of that collection probably helped sales–it charted well, the media took a different approach this time. By mostly ignoring What’s It Gonna Take? But not entirely. Morrison has “descended into lunacy,” is what one reviewer, Arthur Lazarus, a psychiatry professor, said of the album in his review. I was under the impression that mental health professionals now avoid words like “lunacy.” Who is the “crazy” one here, Lazarus? On a positive note, National Reviewgave a favorable notice to What’s It Gonna Take?
To a small extent, Van Morrison, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, has become a non-person. Oh, he appears in Google News searches, as the media dutifully covers his concert appearances. I follow Morrison on Twitter. And like myself, likely because he shares views that run counter to those of the Twitter leftists, in his case about COVID, he’s almost certainly been shadowbanned. I never see the Belfast Lion’s Tweets on my feed, although he has been quiet there lately. Remember, this is a person whose first hit, “Brown Eyed Girl,” is one of the most-played songs on radio–ever.
I’ve been a Van Morrison fan for decades, so I decided to listen to every studio album of his, remember, there are 43 of them–in succession–about a week after I posted my Da Tech Guy writeup on What’s It Gonna Take? It was a wondrous musical adventure that took me through many musical genres, mainly, especially in the second half of his career, Chicago blues, but also of course rock, as well as jazz, country, Celtic, swing, as well as Van the Man’s stream-of-consciousness works, best exemplified on his Astral Works landmark album.
Morrison is a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, harmonica, keyboards, and saxophone. But outside of the craftmanship of the songs he writes, he’s best know for his vocals. Morrison’s singing style is a combination of Hank Williams, Muddy Waters, James Brown, and here’s an obscure name for you, Louis Prima. Oh, on a side note, Prima was one of my mother’s favorites. And about that voice, it’s most distinctive quality is “the growl,” which I believe is inspired by bluesmen like Waters.
Morrison has influenced many artists, including Bob Seger, Graham Parker, Elvis Costello, and Bruce Springsteen. Of the latter two, on their debut albums the feel of Van is quite apparent.
During my Morrison musical sojourn, during which I ironically contracted COVID-19–I am fully recovered–I decided to write a blog post where I list, well, in my opinion at least, his ten best albums. It’s time for me to be Casey Kasem–so let the countdown begin!
Oh, but first, links in the album’s titles bring you Morrison’s website, where you can purchase or download each collection, and also find the Wikipedia article on each of them.
10: Hymns To The Silence (1991). Morrison’s first double album is a tad long, but it contains one of his best ballads, “Carrying A Torch.” You’ll find an even better rendition of that song on Morrison’s duet album, where Clare Teal accompanies him. Van the Man on this record takes a song that has been covered countless times, Ray Charles’ hit “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” but he gives it a fresh take by having traditional Irish musicians the Chieftains accompany him. There’s also an intriguing spoken word piece too, “On Hyndford Street.”
9: No Guru, No Method, No Teacher (1986). Morrison’s 1980s efforts were mostly jazz and Celtic-influenced songs, many of them expressing a love of nature, with some stream-of consciousness songs throw in. The best of these is No Guru, No Method, No Teacher. Its highlights include “In The Garden,” “Tir Na Nog,” and an homage to his 1970s pop hits, “Ivory Tower.” It was around this time I saw Morrison in concert–so far the only time I have done so. I was under the impression, based on his ’80s works, that the Belfast Lion had lost the roar of his growl. Wrong. He growled a lot that night and it returned to his later studio albums.
8: Three Chords & the Truth (2019). The title alone makes this effort at least an honorable mention. “Angry Van” of the 2020s didn’t emerge once the COVID lockdowns kicked in. In “Nobody In Charge” Morrison decries, “politicians that waffle endlessly.” A haunting love sing, “Dark Night Of The Soul,” is another highlight. And Van offers a gorgeous re-working of “Auld Lang Syne” on “Days Gone By.”
7: What’s It Gonna Take? (2022). I’ve discussed this work already in this blog post–but to flesh out my love for this album, it’s as fresh as breathing in, mask-free, mountain air in spring. While anti-COVID lockdown songs dominate the collection, including “Dangerous,” which Morrison’s response to comments about him made by Northern Ireland’s health minister, Robin Swann, as well as “Fighting Back Is The New Normal” and “Fodder For The Masses,” the collection ends with another great love ballad, “Pretending.”
6: Veedon Fleece (1974). Stream-of consciousness Van is at the forefront here. Like gourmet cuisine, you may not appreciate Veedon Fleece at first bite, but it’s a hearty musical meal. “Bulbs,” “Linden Arden Stole The Highlights,” and “Streets Of Arklow” are among the great tracks.
5: Saint Dominic’s Preview (1972). Released 50 summers ago, this album contains two of Morrison’s best-known songs, the title track and “Jackie Wilson Said (I’m In Heaven When You Smile).” Van the Man’s greatest “stream” work, “Listen To The Lion,” is an 11-minute long masterpiece.
4: Magic Time (2005). This is the best Van Morrison album you’ve never heard of. There is quite a bit of swing music influence on Magic Time. While Van the Man, as we discussed early, re-worked “Auld Lang Syne” in 2019, he gifts us a New Year’s Eve alternative here with “Celtic New Year.” There’s another preview of “Angry Van” on “Keep Mediocrity At Bay.” Magic Time opens with another great ballad, “Stranded.” And there is a luscious sequel to “Listen To the Lion” in “The Lion This Time.”
3: Into The Music (1979). The Belfast Cowboy–Morrison has a lot of nicknames–ended the 1970s with a bang. It opens with two now-familiar songs, “Bright Side Of The Road” and “Full Force Gale.” There is rock, blues, gospel, and more here. And if Morrison’s “growl” is what you enjoy about him the most, then Into The Music is your album.
2: Moondance (1970). Like many all-time-best albums, Moondance comes across as a greatest hits album. The title track, “Caravan,” “Crazy Love,” and “Into The Mystic” are just four of the great tracks here. And while “Brown Eyed Girl” from Morrison’s first album is one of the most played songs on radio, “Into The Mystic” is a popular song at funerals. And “Crazy Love” is played at many wedding receptions.
1: Astral Weeks (1968). Arguably his first album, as his debut collection, Blowin’ Your Mind, was released without his input, Morrison, with jazz musicians backing him up, recorded a collection that sounded like nothing else up to that point. Is Astral Weeks a rock album? Jazz? Folk? Blues? The answer is none of the above. It’s simply Van Morrison. “The Way Young Lovers Do” foreshadows his 1970s hits, but like Veedon Fleece, stream-of-consciousness dominates here. “Cyprus Avenue” and “Ballerina” are majestic songs. “Madame George” is an enigmatic work, which is one of its enduring qualities.
So, if you are now inclined to explore Van Morrison, you might be wondering “Where do I start?” As I’ve said before, I deplore the term “classic rock,” but if that is your “jones,” then start with Moondance. If your first love is vintage country, then take a look at Pay The Devil. Blues? Get an album that just missed my top ten, Too Long In Exile, where John Lee Hooker teams up Morrison to revisit his “Gloria” hit that he recorded with his band Them in 1964. Are you a punk rocker? Then dig into Morrison’s recordings with Them. If your a jazz aficionado, I recommend Versatile to you. How ’bout Celtic music? Morrison collaborated with The Chieftains on Irish Heartbeat.
Now that I’ve listened to all 43 of Van Morrison’s studio albums I have a plan for what’s next: the Belfast Cowboy’s live albums.
…In 2025 it is very likely that Donald Trump or Ron DeSantis will be appointing the replacement to Ms. Jankowicz.
And I suspect said replacement will not be all that inclined to show mercy on a left that has none.
But go ahead and create the position of Disinformation Czar over our objections but don’t be surprised if you discover that you don’t like the new rules.
I’ll leave you with this quote from Mitch McConnell:
If you want to play games and set yet another precedent that you’ll no doubt come to regret, I say to my friends on the other side of the aisle: You’ll regret this, and you may regret it sooner than you might think,
If you are a shareholder of Twitter this is your: “I’m going to make them an offer they can’t refuse” moment. Elon Musk’s offer is your best chance to make the best possible profit on your investment. You don’t have to deal with any of the drama that’s been going on, you don’t have to take sides, you can just cash out and leave it to someone else to deal with. On the minus side if you choose not to take this price, twitter shares will tank faster than CNN+ Unless of course another billionaire decided he’s willing to offer 60+ Billion instead in order to keep those who support free speech silenced then you can sell to either and then watch it tank
Over to you George Soros.
What’s really funny about this is that even if people who hold a solid third of Twitter decide not to sell because they want twitter to remain a gatekeeper against “hate speech” (which they define as: “Any speech I hate”) Musk can still end up with 51% of Twitter and once he does he will have the controlling interest which will give him the power to make changes without taking the company private.
It’s really a lose/lose situation for these folks.
According to some estimates the offer that Musk as made for twitter represent between 1/6 & 1/8 of his estimated net worth. That’s a ton of money to spend on something like this but it reminds me of what a friend of mine Author Tim Imholt (who used to blog here as DaScienceGuy many years ago has told me about rich people from experience. They tend to have much more money then they know what to do with so it’s no big deal.
If Musk loses his entire investment or even half his net worth on this venture he’ll be reduced to living a life more comfortable than nearly every human that has ever existed since the dawn of time. Their only troubles are the ones they make for themselves
Two comments on that fact
Pretty much all of the rich in this period of history are in the same boat in terms of comfort
This is why Christ warns about how hard it is for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. When you can have all you want at any time and are used to getting it it’s hard to remember the wages of sin when there is absolutely no resistance if you want something sinful
While it’s been a lot of fun watching the left fall apart over this we who are enjoying it should remember something.
None of this means that Elon Musk is a conservative, who recognizes conservative values, supports conservative causes or share our political, religious or cultural views.
It only means that he agrees with us on free speech.
There is also no guarantee that a Musk controlled Twitter will not decide to go off on a nasty direction in the future.
It will be what it will be but it’s worth remembering Musk isn’t the Messiah, it remains to be seen if he’s a just a very naughty boy.
Finally The left’s unhinged reaction to this shows how weak their arguments are as they have no confidence that they can survive in a game that isn’t fixed. However let me note a bright side to this for them.
If Musk is successful in his takeover Trump’s “Truth” shares will tank faster than twitter share will if the takeover fails. Also other platforms like Gab will also be severely impacted by a Twitter that isn’t driven by ideology.
I suspect we will see a lot of stories on how this screws Trump if it happens because the left will need a narrative to keep them from jumping.
Cue Eric Idle in an iconic and ironic video for Good Friday
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